Diners ditching bottles of wine for the table as healthy living and rising costs reshape restaurant habits
Diners are increasingly opting for individual drinks over sharing bottles of wine at restaurants, driven by health consciousness and rising costs. This shift has led restaurants to adapt by expanding non-alcoholic beverage offerings priced similarly to craft cocktails. Wine sales in the U.S. are declining as younger consumers drink less and older demographics age out of the market.
- ▪Consumers are moving away from ordering shared bottles of wine in favor of individual drink choices, often by the glass.
- ▪Non-alcoholic cocktails now match craft cocktails in price, often reaching $16, and feature complex, multi-step preparations.
- ▪Restaurants are responding to lower bottle sales by increasing prices on other menu items and investing in premium zero-proof drink programs.
- ▪The U.S. wine industry is experiencing a significant downturn due to changing consumer habits across generations.
- ▪Liberty Wines' 2026 report highlights a shift in dining habits, with health, culinary experience, and cost influencing drink choices.
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Wine Diners ditching bottles of wine for the table as healthy living and rising costs reshape restaurant habits Non-alcoholic cocktails are commanding same $16 price point as craft cocktails at many restaurants By Teresa Mull Fox News Published May 16, 2026 8:00am EDT Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Non-alcoholic wine sales surge Bubbly is no longer needed for celebrating. Non-alcoholic beverages are the fastest-growing sector of the alcohol market. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! People aren't ordering a bottle of wine for the table the way they used to, according to a new report. But industry experts say restaurants are making up for the revenue shortfall in other ways.
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